West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-06-02
PLANS or the UNITED LABOR
PARTY
Calf fora Convention ia the EmpIre
state Henry Georges Land
scheme Endorsed

Scncme Endorsed.
\ call Tor state convention OF the United
labor party, to be- held In Syracusc. ~ ",
ON August lith has hccn issued
Tho purpose of the convention is Co noni.
nate such officers as arc 10 ho voted for m
tho November election Following is the
call
we see that the few who control the nat
ntal elements OF production mines tho
building sites OF cities, tho arabic aud forest
lands, etc by taking advantngo OF the com.
petition among men who without nccoss of
these natural elements cannot live, are on. .
shlod 10 lay taxes upon both labor aud can
uol TO the fun limit Of their endurance, We
see access To farming land denied 10
labor except ON payment OF exorbi-
tant ront or the acceptance of Mortgage
burdens, and labor, thus forbidden TO en-.
ploy ttself, driven into the cities We see
the wago-workers OF tho cities subjected TO
this unusual competition, and forced TO
pay an eNhorbtant share OF their scanty
earnings for crampei aud unhcalthful lodg-
iugs We SEQ the aame intonSe competition
condomning tho great majority or business
and professional men 90 bitter aud often
and that, while the price OF all that labor
produces ever falls the price OF land ever
rises
I'VE trace these OWLS TO Fundamental
wrong tho making Of the land ON which all
must live the exclusive property OF hut n
portion OF the community 10 this dc
NAL OF natural rights arc duo want Of em-
ployment, low wngcs, business dcprcssions,
that intense competition which makes IL SO
difficult for the majority Of men % got n
comfortable living, aud that wrongful dis
nlhuton Of woalth which is producing tho
millionaire ON the one side aud the tramp on
the other
TO give all mcn an interest in the land OF
their country. "What wo propose s not the
disturbing of any man in his holiing or title,
but 10y nbolishng all taxes on industry or its
products to leave tho producer the full fruits
Of his cScrtion, 0nd hy tho taxation Of land
vnlucs, exclusive OF improvements 20 dovote
TO common uses those vnluos which arising
not from the eXcrtion ~ the individual, hut
from the growth OF society, belong Justly to
the community a. whole THIS increased
taxation Of land, not according TO its nrea,
hut according 10 It's value, must, whilo re
hcying the "orldug farmer aud small homo.
stead owner Of tho undue burdens
now imposed upon tbom. mako il
nnprontnLlo Ia holl land for speculation, and
thus throw open nl,upIan: Opportunities for
the employment of labor anl tho building up
Of home.
1--WE would do awny with the present un-
Just aud wnstcful systom OF finance which
piles up hundreds Of millions of dollars i'm
treasury vaults while wc nre paying intcr-
est on nn enormous debt; aud we would es-
tahlish In its stead monetary system in
which a legal tender circulpthIg medium
should ho issued by ilie government without
Tic intervention OF hanls.
ave wish TO abolish tho present unjnst
aud wasteful system OF ownership OF rail-
roads aud telegnphs by private corpora
tions system which, while fniling ode
luatcly 10 supply public needs, impoycrshes
the farmer opprcsscs tho manufacturer,
hampers the merchant, inipcdcs travel and
communication and builds up enormous for
tunes aud corrupting monopolics that are
becoming more powerful than tho govern
ment itself For this system wo would
substitute that Of government ownership
and control for the benefit Of tho whole
people instead Of private profit
"Since the ballot is the ouly means bv
which IN our republic tho redress Of political
snd social grievances is 20 be sought, we
specially call for such changes in onr cleo
live and political methods as shall do away
with that necessity for the use OF money in
elections which has made both Of tho oil po-
itical organizations nero auctiomeer's stands
Tor the salo OF nominations 90 the highest
bidders, aud hos rendered political office
inaccessible except 10 the wealthy and un-
sc:upulous
owe denounco the Democratic and Repub-
can portieI as hopolessly and shamelessly
corrupt, and, by reason Of their anlinton
with monopolie4, equally unworthy Of tho
Wnragos Of those who do not live on public
plumber; We therefore require OF those who
would nct with us thnt they sever an connec-
TON with both aud insist that no candidate
DOR pcrgou acting Tor any candidate 70 DO
nominated ~ us shnllin any combination
with my other party, their oandidoseS or
those aci lg for them